Accommodation
He Wahi Ra "A place in the sun"
Semi-serviced, self-contained accommodation in the heart of New Zealand's stunning Central Otago.
As you drive into the charming Naseby village, you feel your worries dissolve in the clear Central Otago air. There is something about the place that puts life into perspective: the beauty of snow and ice in winter; sun and forestry tracks in summer. You appreciate the simplicity of life and reconnecting with the things that really matter.
Your hosts, Brigid and Warren Ebbett, discovered Naseby several years ago. They immediately fell in love with the simple, charming village and surrounding area.
They decided to build a special place that captured the sun, beauty and peacefulness of Naseby. The result is He Wahi Ra, which is Maori for "A Place in the Sun".
This modern abode offers guests a sun trap to be enjoyed all-year round. It is designed to be a space where you can happily spend your whole day - or whole week - in comfort and contentment.
The house isn't called "A Place in the Sun" for no reason. It has a north-facing outlook which can be admired from behind the 15m worth of French-opening doors, or step out onto the 40-plus square metres of decking hugging the northern and eastern walls.
Guests can follow the sun through the day in the open plan living area, before sinking into the leather couches in front of the fire in the evening.
The fireplace is a central feature of the living area and includes a cubby hole for the guest who wants to retreat to a quiet corner.
The kitchen area centres around an island which includes seating, so the cook can entertain, and be entertained, during meal preparation. All the modern conveniences of home are available for guests' use, including a large gas barbeque built into the kitchen end of the deck.
The bathroom includes a deep, comfortable bath which will impress those of you who appreciate a good soak and glass of wine at the end of the day.
And appreciating your incredible surroundings does not end with the bath. Skylights in both rooms allow you to gaze at the star-strewn sky by night, and watch the frost crackle and disappear in the morning. (Bedroom 1 and Bedroom 2)
He Wahi Ra connects you to sights, sounds and smells that will leave you ready to face the world with a refreshed outlook.
Rates
Standard Tariff
- $240/night, for 2 people (minimum 2 night stay)
- $60 per additional adult. $20 per child 14 and under.
Week Days/Mon-Thur (exclusive of school holidays and holiday weekends).
- $199/night, for 2 people (minimum 2 night stay)
- $40 per additional adult. $15 per child 14 and under.
Discounts for extended stays
- 10% on 4 night bookings (exclusive of school holidays and holiday weekends).
- 20% on 7 night night bookings.
Includes
- Exclusive use of a two-bedroom house that sleeps up to six people
- One king-sized bed, one queen-sized bed and a set of bunks
- Linen and towels provided
- A log burner, fire wood supplied
- Pantry basics such as tea, coffee, sugar
- The house is cleaned for you after your departure
- Telephone
- TV
- Denon CD/DVD stereo with iPod connector
- Electronic safe
- Ffully equipped kitchen and laundry
- Built-in gas hood barbeque
- Outdoor furniture
20% off stays over the next 5 nights
Contact us direct at info@tastenaseby.com
Guests' Comments
Fabulous stay – great fire, heaps of hot water, comfy beds (bliss!) and all the mod cons. Thanks.
To arrive with snow on the ground was a real treat. The children had a wonderful time sledging and the hills looked magnificent. Your house was so warm and comfortable. A joy to stay in.
Great stars at night. Now we’re all competent ice skaters!
We had a fantastic three days in your friendly designer house and very warm. Walked in the forest, skated on the ice, tackled the confidence course, had a mulled wine at the Royal, had a deep bath and enjoyed sitting around the fire. We’ll just have to come back when it’s warm enough outside to open up all the bi-fold doors… Thanks so much. We’ll recommend to all and come again soon.
Fantastic couple of days in your fabulous house! We love the design. It was so warm and cosy when we arrived, felt totally welcomed. Naseby is a really neat wee town. We’re already planning our next visit.
A very pleasant stay in a fabulous home. We appreciated all the creature comforts. We will come back sometime for a longer stay.
What a beautiful house! An amazing place to sit and watch the weather. Loved lying in the super comfy beds at night and watching the stars. Such a warm house. Naseby is a perfect spot to chill and an excellent base to tour around the other parts of Central. Hope we can come back again soon. Thank you.
Fabulous spot. The best in Naseby. Curling was great fun and well worth a few hours playing. Lovely warm weather. Thanks! We hope to be back.
What a fantastic place for us to spend our first night as a married couple! We have decided to stay and keep this place for ourselves! We are off to Rarotonga tomorrow but it will be hard to beat this wee place.
One long, wonderful week in this fantastic place. Lost of fish, walking, eating and relaxing. The kids loved it and didn’t want to leave. Nor did the grown-ups. Thank you.
Inspirational stay… once again. Amazing place to recharge the batteries. Will be back again.. and again.. and again…
Awsome! A wonderful Place in the Snow! Naseby was a whiteout all weekend and we had fresh snow every day – so beautiful. Curling was great fun. Thanks for sharing your hideaway with us.
A lovely place to spend Christmas. Thanks for all the little extras and the “wow” factor. We’ve had lots of sun (opened all the windows and enjoyed the deck) and lots of rain (great to curl up in front of the fire with a book). Re-watched Pride and Prejudice (great!) and Gone with the Wide (not so great). Ate a fresh trout caught at Coal Pit Dam. Lots of walking in the forest and some gentle mountain biking on the Rail Trial from Lauder and through the tunnels. Naseby has to be the best-kept secret place for Christmas.
What an elegant house: Western hi-tech meets Japanese minimalist! Loved the house, the town, the walks. Highly recommend the museum and a trip up to the Dansey’s Pass Hotel for lunch.
"Glorious opportunity to rest."
"Great little town for walks."
"Wonderful relaxing time in a superb setting – the house is excellent."
"It was awesome – the beds are so comfortable."
"Impressed with our Naseby experience – children loved the bike rides, parents appreciated your attention to detail."
"We all loved your house. The beds were really comfortable and the biking trails were great. So was walking around Naseby."
"The perfect weekend retreat. Great fire, great kitchen, awesome deck – we will be back!"
"Enjoyed the creativity you have put into the house and the skylights are magic."
"It snowed! Great experience. Naseby exceeded our expectations – as did He Wahi Ra."
Make your own fun
There's plenty to do in and around Naseby - you choose the mix of relaxing versus activity. It is one of those places where you really can do as little or as much as you want and feel great whatever you choose.
The following is a list of activities you can enjoy in the immediate vicinity:
Mountain biking
Naseby is a well-known favourite spot of mountain bikers.
There are several options for hiring bikes in Naseby and/or guided trips through the forest (www.naseby.co.nz or kilasbikeshop@xtra.co.nz, 03 444 9088). You can either organise in advance, or sort out when you arrive in town. And, of course, the Central Otago Rail Trail is only 15km away (www.railtrail.co.nz)
Independent Curling
Curling is an old Scottish, ice-based sport, not dissimilar to bowls. A $1.6m international curling rink was completed in 2005. You can arrange for booked sessions or see how busy the rink is when you arrive (03 444 9878). There is also an outdoor rink which is open in the middle of winter and welcomes visitors (www.nasebyicesports.co.nz).
Iceskating
Outdoor iceskating – there’s nothing like it. The outdoor rink hires iceskates for both children and adults. For more information and pricing, www.nasebyicesports.co.nz.
Walking
The same tracks that excite the mountain bikers also provide endless options for those who prefer good old walking. Maps are available at the Naseby Information Centre and the Bottom Pub (The Royal).
Trout fishing
If you’re an experienced (or inexperienced) trout fisherman, you will love Naseby and the surrounding area. The Information Centre has Fish and Game maps available and licences can be purchased at nearby Ranfurly.
Golf
The delightful nine-hole Naseby golf course is a true country course. Watch out for the chickens which hang out near the 3rd hole tee off and the water race which dissects the 7th hole. For your convenience, a set of clubs is available at He Wahi Ra. Be sure to take some refreshments – it can be hot and thirsty work playing a round under the Central Otago sun. For the real golf enthusiast, there are another three golf courses within a 20-minute drive of Naseby.
Swimming
In summer, the swimming dam is the most popular spot in town. The man-made dam includes a diving board at one extreme and plenty of shallows for the younger (and older) swimmers.
For more activities around the Maniototo, see: www.maniototo.co.nz/activities.
Accommodation
Activities
Naseby